Some Catholic Gays Working to Support Marriage Equality

From Maine's Seacoast Online:

Even as Catholic churches throughout Maine passed the collection basket a second time last Sunday to fight the state's gay marriage law, an Eliot couple is among a small but growing number of Catholics working in support of marriage equality.

Jack and Rose Dougherty went to St. Rafael's Church in Kittery that same Sunday, armed with petitions spearheaded by Catholics for Marriage Equality. They also put a note in the basket during the second collection stating they did not support the church's action. Six other parishioners found them after Mass and signed the petition, said Jack Dougherty, people who "had called to offer support, and said, 'We're behind you on this. We think you're right.'"

In November, Maine residents will have an opportunity to vote to repeal the state's gay marriage law, signed by Gov. John Baldacci last June. The two major opposing organizations, pro-repeal Stand for Marriage Maine and pro-law Equality Maine, have been on the airwaves and are blitzing the state's media.

Dougherty said the Catholics in support of the law are organizing and the petition is a step in that direction.

The one-page, single-spaced petition titled, "God is Love," begins: "As faithful Roman Catholics and citizens of the state of Maine, we believe that the right of every citizen to practice freedom of religion is based on the principle of respect for the dignity of each individual."

The petition states that Catholic teaching on social justice "has been central to the building of a just society," and added, "We remember that Roman Catholics were once denied civil rights ... because of our sacred rituals."

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The current polls, as reported by Seacoast Online, show the vote is too close to call at this point.